Joe Scheuermann new Delgado athletic director

Delgado Community College announced Tuesday that baseball coach Joe Scheuermann has been named the college’s third athletic director. Scheuermann will assume the position July 1 following current Athletic Director Tommy Smith’s retirement, which is effective June 30. Scheuermann will also remain the baseball coach. Continue reading →

Delgado AD Tommy Smith announces retirement

Advocate file photo by LIBBY ISENHOWER -- Delgado's Tommy Smith yells to his team during a game against BRCC last season. Smith announced Thursday he will retire, effective June 30.

Delgado Community College Athletic Director Tommy Smith announced his retirement Thursday, effective June 30. Smith, a staple of Delgado Athletics for the past 31 seasons, joined the department in 1981 as an assistant basketball coach and baseball coach under the program’s founder, “Rags” Scheuermann. In 1986, Smith succeeded Scheuermann and became the Dolphins’ second athletic director, … Continue reading →

Tulane fares well in APR scores

Advocate file photo by Susan Poag -- Tulane football coach Curtis Johnson applauds during a football game between Tulane and UAB in October in New Orleans. The Green Wave football team ranked third in Conference USA in APR score, at 960.

If there’s one ranking Tulane’s athletics department feels confident in, it’s the annual Academic Progress Rate data, even in its most high-profile sports. Tulane’s football team ranked third among its Conference USA peers, compiling a score of 960, while its men’s basketball team had its best rating on record, scoring 989, the second-highest mark in C-USA. Continue reading →

UNO basketball teams penalized

UNO will not be eligible for the Southland Conference basketball championships in its first season in the league thanks to APR penalties handed down Tuesday by the NCAA. Both the men’s and women’s programs failed to meet the NCAA standard for player academic performance over the past four years. The men’s basketball program was assessed … Continue reading →

Ten years after review, Tulane’s sports woes linger

Tulane football coach Curtis Johnson participates in the Tulane spring football game in New Orleans, Saturday, March 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Ten years after ending a controversial athletics review by deciding to stay in Division I, Tulane has little success to show for it. If the mindset going forward was supposed to resemble the University of Miami, the results have been more like Rice — minus the Owls’ recent baseball success. And even the Rice football team has … Continue reading →

Tulane women's golf coach Andrew Pratt resigns

Tulane golf coach Andrew Pratt and Green Wave golfer Gemma Dryburgh. (Photo courtesy of Tulane athletics.)

Andrew Pratt has resigned as the head women's golf coach at Tulane and is expected to be named the associated head golf coach at Auburn University. Pratt was named the fourth head women's golf coach at Tulane on August 26, 2011, and led the Green Wave to a Conference USA title, two NCAA Regional appearances and to the NCAA Championships. … Continue reading →

Southeastern A.D. resigns; Jay Artigues gets interim post

HAMMOND — Southeastern Louisiana University Athletic Director Bart Bellairs resigned Friday and the school named baseball coach Jay Artigues as interim athletic director. Bellairs has been at Southeastern Louisiana since November 2009. “I appreciate the dedication and integrity that Bart brought to administration of our athletics program,” Southeastern President John Crain said. “Bart … Continue reading →

LSU-Eunice players named to NJCAA All-America team

Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- LSU-Eunice pitcher Brady Domangue warms up during a game against Baton Rouge Community College last season. Domangue, an LSU signee who finished 14-2 with a 1.34 ERA in 114 innings this season, was named to the NJCAA All-America third team Wednesday.

Casey Rodrigue and Brady Domangue, a pair of sophomores who led LSU-Eunice to the championship game of the NJCAA Division II World Series, were named to the All-America team Wednesday. Rodrigue, an infielder who has signed with Indiana, made the second team. Domangue, a right-handed pitcher who has signed with LSU, was named to the third team. Continue reading →

South Louisiana sports briefs for June 4, 2013

LSU recruiting ranked No .14 The LSU women’s tennis incoming class is ranked No. 14 by the Tennis Recruiting Network, marking the team’s highest-ranked recruiting class. Coach Julia S. Sell added Joana Vale Costa, Skylar Holloway, Gabrielle Otero and Abigail Owens. Costa, from Lisbon, Portugal, posts a 782 singles and 744 doubles ranking according to … Continue reading →

Cody Boutte struggled early, but pulled double duty for ULL

Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- Louisiana-Lafayette left-hander Cody Boutte started both of the Ragin' Cajuns' games Sunday in the Baton Rouge Regional at Alex Box Stadium, throwing 133 pitches in all.

Louisiana-Lafayette leaned on Cody Boutte for a quality start to stave off elimination. After barely two innings and three runs, he faltered against Sam Houston State. But Matt Plitt trotted from the bullpen at Alex Box Stadium on Saturday to fortify and stabilize the Ragin’ Cajuns, retiring the first 15 batters he faced over seven stellar … Continue reading →

LSU-Eunice falls short  of NJCAA championship

ENID, Okla. — LSU-Eunice’s quest for back-to-back NJCAA national championships fell short. Saturday night, in the championship game of the Division II World Series, Murray (Okla.) State scored two runs each in the second and third innings and held off the Bengals for a 4-3 victory to claim the national title. “It was a … Continue reading →

ULL, NW State players earn top Louisiana softball honors

Louisiana-Lafayette catcher Sarah Draheim and Northwestern State coach Donald Pickett produced career-best seasons in 2013 to earn two of the top awards on the All-Louisiana collegiate softball team. Draheim, a .267 hitter through her first three seasons with the Ragin’ Cajuns, collected 15-of-18 votes for Hitter of the Year after batting .423 with 15 home runs and … Continue reading →

All-Louisiana softball team

First Team Position Name School Yr. Hometown Notes Pitcher — Rachele Fico LSU Sr. Oxford, Conn. 24-11, 2.35 ERA, NFCA All-America first team Pitcher — Jordan Wallace Louisiana-Lafayette So. Weatherford, Texas 28-7, 1.89 ERA, … Continue reading →

ULL rips Jackson State to stay alive in Baton Rouge Regional

Advocate staff photo by CATHERINE THRELKELD -- Plate umpire Kevin Sweeney calls out Jackson State second baseman Stephen Curtis after ULL catcher Nick Thurman applied the tag during Saturday's game in the Baton Rouge Regional at Alex Box Stadium. The Ragin' Cajuns came alive for 11 runs in the final three innings for a 15-1 win.

Nine relatively quiet innings at the plate might have gnawed at Louisiana-Lafayette. As it turned out, Jackson State pitching was the perfect remedy. Subdued in their NCAA tournament regional opener, the Ragin’ Cajuns woke up in a 15-1 elimination-game rout Saturday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium, pounding out 19 hits and recovering from an early one-run … Continue reading →

McNeese hires Lance Guidry

LAKE CHARLES — McNeese football coach Matt Viator didn’t have to look far outside of the McNeese family to find a new defensive coordinator as he named former Cowboys standout Lance Guidry to guide his team’s defense as well as be the assistant head coach. Guidry, a Welsh native, fills the spot vacated when Mike … Continue reading →

Tulane equipment manager David Lowry dies

Tulane equipment manager David Lowry, also known for his voice in press boxes throughout the area, died Saturday of complications from cancer. He was 47. Lowry was a longtime educator in St. John the Baptist Parish. He was the athletic director, assistant baseball coach and head softball coach at St. Charles Catholic High School in LaPlace. He … Continue reading →

ULL’s bats silenced in loss to Sam Houston State

Advocate staff photo by CATHERINE THRELKELD --  Sam Houston left fielder Luke Plucheck is surrounded by his teammates after his solo home run during the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional game between Sam Houston State and Louisiana-Lafayette in Alex Box Stadium on Friday, May, 31.  Photo taken on Friday, May 31, 2013. MAGS OUT / INTERNET OUT / ONLINE OUT / NO SALES / TV OUT / FOREIGN OUT / LOUISIANA BUSINESS INC. OUT / GREATER BATON ROUGE BUSINESS REPORT OUT / 225 OUT / 10/12 OUT / IN REGISTER OUT / LBI CUSTOM PUBLICATIONS OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT : THE ADVOCATE/CATHERINE THRELKELD /

The Louisiana-Lafayette baseball team entered the NCAA tournament’s Baton Rouge Regional with one of the nation’s most potent offenses, having led the country with 72 home runs during the regular season and having ranked third nationally with a .323 batting average. But the Ragin’ Cajuns were silenced Friday night at Alex Box Stadium by a pair of … Continue reading →

Scott Cowen will leave complicated sports legacy at Tulane

Advocate staff photo by RUSTY COSTANZA -- Tulane president Scott Cowen, left, and Athletic Director Rick Dickson hold up a Big East banner  during a news conference announcing the school's move to the conference Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012.

Tulane President Scott Cowen’s retirement announcement elicited a gamut of emotion from Green Wave fans, coaches and former players Friday. Although he isn’t actually stepping away from his post until July 1, 2014, the reaction to his announcement, much like Cowen’s treatment of sports at Tulane, was polarized. As president since 1998, he had an intimate … Continue reading →

UNO announces it ‘will not retain’ baseball coach Bruce Peddie

Advocate file photo by JOHN OUBRE -- UNO baseball coach Bruce Peddie surveys the action during a game against Southern in 2012. UNO announced Friday that it 'will not retain' Peddie, leaving the coach out of a job after four seasons.

Apparently, the $3 million facelift at UNO’s Maestri Field extends beyond the baseball stadium. Athletic Director Derek Morel announced Friday that Bruce Peddie will not be retained as head coach after going 40-161 during four challenging seasons, including 7-44 this spring while playing as an Division I independent against the likes of powerhouses LSU, South Carolina … Continue reading →

LSU, Tulane golfers earn honors

LSU sophomore golfer Curtis Thompson has been named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Men’s Golfer of the Year, while Tulane’s Maribel Porras earned Women’s Golfer of the Year, serving as the headliner for the All-Louisiana golf teams voted on by school sports information directors. Thompson earned first team All-Southeastern Conference honors and was named to the Golf … Continue reading →

Ragin’ Cajuns’ first objective: Get past Sam Houston State

Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- ULL's Dex Kjerstad hits in the batting cage during Thursday at Alex Box Stadium. Kjerstad and the Ragin' Cajuns face Sam Houston State in the second game of the Baton Rouge Regional at 7 p.m. Friday.

Louisiana-Lafayette faced few logistical hurdles en route to Alex Box Stadium for its first NCAA baseball regional in three seasons. Yet, the venue itself, and the host team, might test the focus of the No. 2-seeded Ragin’ Cajuns (41-18), who face third-seeded Sam Houston State (37-20) at 7 p.m. Friday in LSU’s home park. “That’s been … Continue reading →

LSU-Eunice baseball team splits at NJCAA World Series

The LSU-Eunice baseball team fell 8-2 to Madison College on Thursday night, suffering its first loss in the double-elimination NJCAA Division II World Series after beating Heartland Community College 8-0 in seven innings earlier in the day. LSU-Eunice (51-9) will play in an elimination game at 7 p.m. Friday against Madison College (43-12). The winner advances to … Continue reading →

Robichaux seeks to create new baseball memories

Advocate staff photo by BRYAN TUCK.Louisiana-Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux, second from left, speaks with his team on the mound during a game earlier this year. The Cajuns used a seventh-inning rally to get past McNeese State on Tuesday night, 8-5.

LAFAYETTE — Even though he was only 6 years old, Austin Robichaux has vivid memories of Louisiana-Lafayette’s 2000 trip to the College World Series. He also has memories from just over 13 months ago, from his last trip to Alex Box Stadium, and those aren’t nearly as fond. And the Ragin’ Cajun sophomore … Continue reading →

Weather postpones LSU-Eunice

LSU-Eunice’s scheduled game in the NJCAA Division II World Series was postponed Wednesday night because of severe weather in the Enid, Okla., area. The Bengals will now play Heartland (Ill.) Community College at noon Thursday, or shortly after the end of the game between North Iowa Area Community College and Murray State Community College, which was postponed … Continue reading →

South Louisiana sports briefs for May 30, 2013

LSU’s Andrews, Fico earn All-America LOUISVILLE, Ky. — LSU sophomore outfielder A.J. Andrews and senior pitcher Rachele Fico earned Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American honors Wednesday from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The last time two LSU players were named All-Americans was in 2007 with Leslie Klein and Killian Roessner. Fico was named to … Continue reading →

Tulane basketball team signs Mikael Herbert of Finland

Advocate staff photo by DERICK HINGLE -- Tulane Green Wave head coach Ed Conroy during the second half of a game against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Fogelman Arena. Tulane defeated Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 65-55. Photo shot on Tuesday Nov. 13, 2012, in New Orleans, La..MAGS OUT / INTERNET OUT / ONLINE OUT / NO SALES / TV OUT / FOREIGN OUT / LOUISIANA BUSINESS INC. OUT / GREATER BATON ROUGE BUSINESS REPORT OUT / 225 OUT / 10/12 OUT / IN REGISTER OUT / LBI CUSTOM PUBLICATIONS OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT : THE ADVOCATE/DERICK HINGLE /

NEW ORLEANS — Tulane’s basketball program went great lengths to replenish its depleted roster. Its latest signee provides unflappable evidence of the Green Wave’s recruiting breadth, hauling in Mikael Herbert from Uusikaupunki, Finland. The 6-foot-10, 211-pounder is best known for his ability to shoot from the perimeter and is expected to stretch the floor, … Continue reading →

ULL baseball team seeks ‘another shot” at LSU

Advocate staff photo by BRYAN TUCK -- Louisiana-Lafayette's Michael Strentz, right, is safe a first at first as Florida International's Oscar Aguirre applies the tag Wednesday during the Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament in Lafayette.

LAFAYETTE — There was so little reaction from the Louisiana-Lafayette baseball team Monday, one might think the Ragin’ Cajuns were old-hat at this NCAA Regional stuff. When the Cajuns’ spot in the Baton Rouge Regional was announced during ESPNU’s bracket announcement show, there was some applause from the ULL squad gathered at M.L. “Tigue” Moore … Continue reading →

ULL baseball falls in Sun Belt title game

Advocate staff photo by BRYAN TUCK -- University of Louisiana at Lafayette coach Tony Robichaux, second from left, holds a meeting on the pitchers mound Sunday during the Sun Belt championship game at M.L. 'Tigue' Moore Field. Florida Atlantic tagged ULL pitchers for 16 hits -- including six doubles, two triples and a homer -- in a 16-8 win.

LAFAYETTE — The Louisiana-Lafayette baseball team entered the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship red-hot, having won its previous two games by 17 combined runs and with 15 extra-base hits in three tournament games. Florida Atlantic, which entered Sunday on a 10-game winning steak, proved to be the only thing hotter. The … Continue reading →

Cajuns advance to Sun Belt title game

Advocate staff photo by BRYAN TUCKUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette's Seth Harrison had a two-run home run in the Cajuns' 12-2 win over South Alabama.

LAFAYETTE — A sign near the entrance of M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field lists benchmarks met by Louisiana-Lafayette baseball through the years. Given the program’s accomplishments include six Sun Belt Conference regular-season titles, two super regional appearances and one College World Series berth, it is hard not to notice the Ragin’ Cajuns have just one Sun … Continue reading →

ULL softball falls a win short of the World Series

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Matte Haack stood in the dugout, her arms crossed and resting on the railing. She watched as the Michigan softball team ran around the field, celebrated with fans, dumped Gatorade on its seniors and danced to the school’s fight song. Even as her teammates packed up, left the dugout and wept, Haack stuck … Continue reading →

Central Arkansas tops SLU for Southland baseball title

SUGAR LAND, Texas — As the Central Arkansas baseball team dogpiled on the mound after winning the 15th and final game of the Southland Conference baseball tournament on Saturday, one of the most unlikely players was on the bottom of the pile. True freshman pitcher Connor Gilmore, who had only four starts during the regular … Continue reading →

LSU-Eunice wins NJCAA World Series opener

LSU-Eunice's Garrett Deschamp connects for the game-winning hit in the ninth inning of the Bengals' 4-3 win over Lackawanna (Pa.) on Saturday in the first round of the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Okla.

LSU-Eunice won its first game at the 2013 NJCAA Division II World Series in dramatic fashion Saturday morning, coming from behind for a 4-3 victory over Lackawanna College thanks to Garrett Deschamp’s game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Bengals (49-8) opened the ninth with a single from Buddy McCoy, who was lifted … Continue reading →

Spring Hill softball team posts another win

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Spring Hill College’s Cinderella run through the NAIA softball playoffs continued in a big way on Saturday. The 10th-seeded Badgers (47-15) scored seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a resounding 9-1 five-inning victory over second-seeded Lubbock Christian Universty on the second day of the NAIA’s 33rd National … Continue reading →

Ragin’ Cajuns stay hot in Sun Belt tournament

Advocate staff photo by BRYAN TUCK -- Louisiana-Lafayette's Caleb Adams, center, celebrates hitting a home run with teammates Tyler Girouard, left, and Jace Conrad against South Alabama on Friday at the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

LAFAYETTE — Louisiana-Lafayette right-hander Austin Robichaux gave up a triple to begin Friday afternoon’s game at the Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament, then a sacrifice fly to put the Ragin’ Cajuns in an early one-run hole. He gave up very little else the rest of the day. Robichaux recovered from the rocky start and … Continue reading →

Southeastern loses, faces long road to Southland title

SUGAR LAND, Texas — Southeastern Louisiana remains alive for the Southland Conference tournament championship, but after a 12-2 mercy-rule loss to Lamar on Friday night, the Lions will have to win twice Saturday to prolong their season. Lamar’s Sam Bumpers had two hits, including a home run and three RBIs, while Chase Angelle came … Continue reading →

LSU-Eunice hunts for another title at NJCAA World Series

Advocate Staff Photo by HEATHER McCLELLAND -- LSU-Eunice's baseball team prays before a game last season at Pete Goldsby Field in Baton Rouge. The Bengals, who  went on to win the NCJAA Division II national championship last year, are looking for a repeat performance at this year's NJCAA World Series in Enid, Okla.

When LSU-Eunice begins the NJCAA Division II World Series starting Saturday in Enid, Okla., the Bengals will set their sights on returning home with the school’s fifth national championship in the space of seven years. This marks LSUE’s seventh trip to the World Series since 2004. The Bengals (48-8) open with Lackawanna College (41-18) of … Continue reading →

ULL drops Super Regional opener in 8 innings

Advocate staff photo by Bryan Tuck -- ULL softball coach Mike Lotief and his team in the 2012 season.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — No matter the circumstances, it seemed the Louisiana-Lafayette softball team came up just short Friday against Michigan. The Ragin’ Cajuns were inches away from routine plays that, since they weren’t made, preserved innings or were seconds late on calls at the plate that would have swung momentum. But the … Continue reading →

Tulane women golfers tie for ninth at NCAAs

ATHENS, Ga. — Tulane capped its season with a school-record ninth-place finish Friday. and senior Maribel Lopez Porras turned in a 14th-place finish for the program’s best individual effort at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships at the University of Georgia Golf Course. Tulane tied with Oklahoma and Michigan State and completed the 72-hole event … Continue reading →